Healthy Living With Arthritis Pain

In the past few months, I have been diagnosed with arthritis in both my knees. The left knee, most recently, was just a bit worse. I had a big fall on that knee in April 2012 and then again in August 2016. The bruising caused me to develop arthritis. The doctor prescribed me an anti-inflammatory, Naprosyn, which is a very strong type of Advil. It did heals ease the pain but gave me terrible stomach problems. So this led me to research other ways to tolerate my arthritis without an impending surgery (hopefully very far in the future). The doctor recommended physical therapy and suggested I continue to do my Barre and Yoga classes as well. Zumba and Piloxing will have to wait a bit. Sometimes the pain is unbearable, especially when I sit, but I am determined to live with this and continue my routines as much as possible.

Even with medical intervention, the pain is still there. So a person with arthritis needs to change their lifestyle choices to ease some of this chronic pain. There are many recommended “natural” cures but you must be extremely careful of what you try and how it acts when used with other products. People I talk to recommended a CBD Hemp Oil that you can rub on the area. After research I am more confused because of the many different varieties available. So before you purchase this type of product do extensive research and talk to others who share your problems.

Therapy Topical Creams

When my knee started acting up I used Sombra WarmTherapy cream which I used many years for back pain, recommended by my chiropractor. Others have suggested Aloe Vera, which comes from the leaves of its plant. Topical aloe Vera doe not cause any side effects and can be used on the area affected by arthritis as well. Like Aloe Vera, eucalyptus can be used as a topical oil extract, and often helps with arthritis pain. The best thing to do is experiment with each of these topical oils (which are not ingested and will not cause side effects) and see what works for you.

Herbs

Some herbs are considered anti-inflammatory and are right in your spice cabinet used in everyday cooking. They have been known to help with arthritis inflammation. Ginger is an anti inflammatory spice that may alleviate the arthritic area when it feels swollen and overworked. Green tea is a popular beverage, hot and cold, that has been used to reduce inflammation in the body. Many people cook with turmeric because they like the taste and it has many anti-inflammatory properties. Personally, I would use these spices in my food or hot beverage rather than taking them orally as you cannot always be sure of the side effects.

Foods

Everyday foods have been known to ease inflammation and make it easier to live with arthritis pain. Some examples are fatty fish, garlic, ginger, broccoli, walnuts, berries, spinach, grapes, olive oil and tart cherry juice. Of course, you don’t have to eat all these foods daily, but studies have shown that people who include more of these foods in their daily diet have improved movement and less arthritic pain.

In searching for relief for my own arthritis pain, I have been focused on products and choices that do not have side effects or can cause other problems. By adding some spices and some food choices, I feel that I can experiment with the results and what works for me. Exercise is one day at a time and I try not to push myself while I am working with my physical therapist as well. I do know that after stretching my pain is eased and my overall body feels healthier.

Arthritis is a fact of life and as we get older all of our old bruises come back to haunt us. We need to fight against them and use our bodies natural healing process to get us through. Exercise, natural foods and spices, and ointments are just part of the process. Feel your body and let it tell you what’s helping and what isn’t. If it means keeping a journal then do so to encourage healing over time. Don’t be discouraged — arthritis can make you stronger as you fight to get back control of your body.